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New On DVD This Week: Monk, The Queen, Bones, Medium

The versatile Tony Shalhoub starred in this weekly, hour-long mystery series as Adrian Monk, an unorthodox but undeniably brilliant San Francisco police detective. Quitting the force after the death of his wife, ‘Monk‘ suddenly began developing profound and bizarre obsessive-compulsive tendencies, allowing his many phobias — including a morbid fear of heights, germs, darkness, crowds, even dairy products — to compromise his skills as a forensic investigator. Nonetheless, Monk flourished as a private detective with the help of his live-in nurse Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram) and the grudging assistance of his envious former SFPD superior Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine). Shaloub won three Emmy Awards for this role and the complete series is now available, featuring all 125 episodes on this can’t-miss 24-disc collection that highlights many special bonus features from all eight unforgettable seasons. Buy the complete series right here.

The Queen

Featuring performances from five top British actresses each playing the queen in a different decade, ‘The Queen’ is now available on DVD. Available to U.S. audiences for the first time with its DVD release, this groundbreaking and provocative new, five-part miniseries features dramatizations mixed with documentary footage and interviews to reveal Queen Elizabeth II as never seen before. At pivotal moments in her reign from 1955 to 2005, the queen is portrayed by: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, and Diana Quick. Elizabeth Windsor rose to the throne in 1952 and has been Queen of the United Kingdom ever since. She has reigned over turbulent times. Social upheavals, cash problems, civil unrest, and family woes have challenged her spirit, her principles, and her resolve. This five-part British series blends dramatized scenes behind palace doors with documentary footage and new interviews with royal insiders, including biographers, journalists, government officials, palace staff, and a former Archbishop of Canterbury. The series includes guest appearances by Peter Davison, Simon Williams, and Philip Jackson, and exceptional production values, with costuming and set design perfectly reflecting each era of the queen’s nearly 60-year reign. The Queen aired on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2009 and has yet to air in the U.S. Buy the complete miniseries right here.

Bones

Faced with gruesome murders, FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth has teamed up with the world’s leading Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan of the Jeffersonian Institute in the hit Fox show ‘Bones.’ Bones is the rational scientist and Booth the intuitive detective, and though they often butt heads, they make the perfect team when it comes to catching criminals. With a team of scientists behind them, Bones and Booth make sure no crime goes unsolved. In Season 5, Buckcherry front man Josh Todd appears in the episode entitled “The Rocker In The Rinse Cycle.” To continue the relationship between the rocker and the fans, Buckcherry.com is hosting a contest with Fox Home Entertainment where viewers of a special Bones S.5 video clip at www.Buckcherry.com will win a roundtrip experience to see the band perform at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Visit www.Buckcherry.com to see the video set to Buckcherry’s latest single “Dead” and enter and buy the Season 5 Blu-ray right here.

Night Court

Laughter’s in session as Criminal Court, Part II, State of New York dispenses justice and comedy in the hysterical Season 4 of ‘Night Court‘ that adds opinionated bailiff Roz Russell (Marsha Warfield) to the oddball ensemble. You are hereby sentenced to 22 hilarious episodes on four discs as wacky Judge Stone (Harry Anderson) is seemingly bounced from the bench, randy-and-ready Dan (John Larroquette, in his third of four Emmy-winning seasons for Outstanding Supporting Actor in comedy) is loved into a coma, public defender Christine (Markie Post) ends up wielding the gavel, Bull (Richard Moll) pens a controversial children’s book and court clerk Mac (Charles Robinson) goes into…labor? Buy the Season 4 DVD exclusively at WBshop.com.

Medium

Allison Dubois (Patricia Arquette) is a strong-willed, devoted young wife and mother of three girls, who has gradually come to grips with her extraordinary ability to talk to dead people, see the future in her dreams and read people’s thoughts in the hit CBS drama ‘Medium.’ During the sixth season, Allison and her family’s world is turned upside down after her gift is publicly exposed, resulting in sweeping changes both professionally and personally. Buy the Season 6 DVD right here.

Beauty And The Beast

Disney’s most requested film, ‘Beauty and the Beast,‘ is finally available on Blu-ray Hi-Def as the second installment of Walt Disney’s new Diamond Collection. The first of only two animated films ever to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ earned six Academy Award nominations and won two Oscars in 1992 for Best Original Song (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Best Original Score. This unforgettable movie features a cast of top vocal talent. Veteran stage actress and singer Paige O’Hara is the voice of Belle, and Robby Benson delivers a powerful portrayal of the Beast. Buy the Diamond Edition right here.

All In The Family

One of the most acclaimed comedy series of all time, Norman Lear’s Emmy-winning ‘All In The Family‘ returns for a seventh season with Archie (Carroll O’Connor) still as irascible and highly opinionated as ever, arguing with his daughter Gloria’s (Sally Struthers) liberal husband Mike “Meathead” Stivic (Rob Reiner) and taking refuge in his long-suffering wife, Edith (Jean Stapleton). Season 7 continued to break new ground in television with its lethal mix of comedy and serious issues. Whether the series was addressing Archie’s outdated, over-the-top, intolerant behavior or dealing with a college student trying to commit suicide, these characters made the formula work and the show unforgettable. Buy the Season 7 DVD right here.

Survivor: Africa

‘Survivor: Africa‘ stranded 16 castaways in Kenya’s Shaba National Reserve. Airing from October 2001 through January 2002 on CBS, this was the first season with a “twist” – three members of the Boran and Samburu sides switched teams – as well as the first to include a tiebreaker challenge. After grueling challenges throughout the 13 episodes, Ethan Zohn emerged the victor and left the African continent with the $1 million dollar prize. Buy the Survivor: Africa DVD set right here.

Survivor: Marquesas

‘Survivor: Marquesas‘ is notable because it’s the initial season of the top-rated series in which contestants weren’t provided food, water or even matches. Millions of viewers tuned in from February to May 2002 to watch competitors in the Maraamu and Rotu tribes, who were marooned on beaches of the Marquesas Islands where they struggled to overcome challenges and win immunity. Thirteen shows later, Vecepia Towery outplayed and outlasted all the others to take home the big prize. Special bonus features include complete exit interviews and never before aired behind-the-scenes footage. Buy the Survivor: Marquesas DVD set right here.

Treasure Of The Sierra Madre

His style was unrivaled. His career was astonishing. His performances are unforgettable. Be a part of Humphrey Bogart’s legend as one of his most beloved performances ever is now available on stunning Blu-ray Disc for the very first time in ‘The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.‘ John Huston’s 1948 treasure-hunt classic begins as drifter Fred C. Dobbs (Bogart), down and out in Tampico, Mexico, impulsively spends his last bit of dough on a lottery ticket. Later on, Dobbs and fellow indigent Curtin (Tim Holt) seek shelter in a cheap flophouse and meet Howard (Walter Huston), a toothless, garrulous old coot who regales them with stories about prospecting for gold. Buy the Blu-ray right here.

In 1994 the landmark Emmy Award-winning documentary series ‘Baseball’ captured the hearts of more than 43 million viewers, and now acclaimed filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick return to the national pastime with The Tenth Inning, a two part, four hour mini series. Showcasing the game’s tumultuous history, greatest stars, and unforgettable moments over the past 17 years, ‘Baseball: The Tenth Inning‘ is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. Directed by Burns and Novick (producer of the Baseball series), and written and produced by Burns, Novick and David McMahon, The Tenth Inning celebrates baseball’s enduring appeal and how it continues to reflect the complicated country that created it. Following baseball’s trajectory from 1992 through 2009, the film vividly presents the ups and downs of the sport against a backdrop of the social and cultural changes in the United States at the turn of the millennium. Buy the DVD right here.

Emmy nominated for outstanding special visual effects, the first season of the hit Syfy show ‘Stargate Universe‘ is now available on Blu-ray. The collection features the opening chapter in the spectacular saga as it follows a group of people that is unexpectedly transported to the other side of the universe only to find that their sole mission is survival. An exciting stylistic change from previous Stargate series, ‘SGU’ Season One offers an in-depth look at human nature and the inner struggle between right and wrong. The latest series of the popular franchise features a brand new cast including Robert Carlyle, Brian J. Smith, David Blue, Jamil Walker Smith, and newcomers Louis Ferreira, Alaina Huffman, Patrick Gilmore and Elyse Levesque. Plus fans will enjoy special appearances by original cast members Richard Dean Anderson (‘MacGyver’) and Amanda Tapping (‘Stargate SG-1’). Showcasing all 20 episodes, the ‘SGU’ Season 1 Blu-ray and DVD feature an extended pilot with never-before-seen footage, exclusive behind-the-scenes featurettes, video diaries and commentary on every episode. In addition, fans can enjoy Blu-ray exclusive special features such as extra Destiny SML (Star Map Log) and the SGU: Survival Instinct Game. Buy the Blu-ray right here.

Blue Mountain State

Nothing is out of bounds in the first season of this Spike original comedy. At the center of the action is the ‘Blue Mountain State‘ “Goats,” the team with the nastiest sacks in all of college football. With a freshman lineup that includes a back-up quarterback who’d rather party than play, a star running back who can’t score with the ladies, and a team mascot who redefines “personal foul,” will they be able to juggle football, girls, class and nonstop hazing? ‘Blue Mountain State’ Season 1 is the rudest, dirtiest comedy to ever hit the field. Buy the DVD right here.

The Maltese Falcon

His style was unrivaled. His career was astonishing. His performances are unforgettable. Be a part of Humphrey Bogart’s legend as one of his most beloved performances ever is now available on stunning Blu-ray Disc for the very first time in ‘The Maltese Falcon.’ Bogart achieved true stardom as Sam Spade, a hard-boiled San Francisco private eye who can be as unscrupulous as the next guy but also adheres to his own personal code of honor. Into the offices of the Spade & Archer detective agency sweeps a Miss Wonderly (Mary Astor), who offers a large retainer to Sam and his partner Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan) if they’ll protect her from someone named Floyd Thursby. Buy the Blu-ray right here.

Last Of The Mohicans

Director Michael Mann based this lushly romantic version of the James Fenimore Cooper novel more on his memory of the 1936 film version (starring Randolph Scott) than on Cooper’s novel (in fact, Philip Dunne’s 1936 screenplay is cited as source material for this film). Set in the 1750s during the French and Indian War, ‘The Last Of The Mohicans‘ follows Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis), the European-born adopted son of Mohican scout Chingachgook (Russell Means). Hawkeye and his party, which also includes the Mohican Uncas (Eric Schweig), joins up with a group of Britons who have recently arrived in the Colonies. The group consists of Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) and her younger sister, Alice (Jodhi May), who are rescued from a Huron war party by Hawkeye. Buy the Blu-ray right here.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Share the memories and the merriment with the hilarious and heart-warming ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show‘ Season 7 DVD. From the love and laughter of Mary’s uproarious dinner parties to the chaos and camaraderie of the WJM-TV newsroom, ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ will always be remembered as one of the best—and best loved—shows of all time. Created by James L. Brooks and starring Mary Tyler Moore, Ed Asner, Betty White, Valerie Harpe, Ted Knight and Gavin MacLeod, the venerated series consistently ranked among television’s top-rated programs during its distinguished seven-year run. The final season of the enduring classic includes such series milestones as the birth of Ted and Georgette’s baby, Murray’s tenure as a producer, Mary’s date with Lou, and the show’s bittersweet final episode, where the gang bids one last farewell to WJM-TV and each other. Buy the Season 7 DVD right here.

Gunsmoke

Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) is in charge of Dodge City, a town in the wild west where people often have no respect for the law in ‘Gunsmoke.’ He deals on a daily basis with the problems associated with frontier life: cattle rustling, gunfights, brawls, standover tactics, and land fraud. Such situations call for sound judgment and brave actions: of which Marshal Dillon has plenty. Buy the Season 4, Volume 1 DVD right here.

Caprica

‘Caprica‘ is the prequel to the much beloved ‘Battlestar Galactica’ and takes place 50 years before the series is set and follows the earlier evolution of the Cylon species. When the colonies were at peace, a breakthrough in robotics and artificial intelligence begets the first Cylon. Told from the perspective of two families, the Graystones and the more familiar Adamas, sci fi drama explores themes of corporate control, politics and the impact of technology. Buy the Season 1 DVD right here.

The Roman Invasion Of Britain

The captivating story of Rome’s daring conquest and occupation of ancient Britain comes alive in ‘The Roman Invasion Of Britain.’ The new three-part documentary illuminates a little-known but pivotal period in British and Roman history. Through interviews with noted historians and meticulous reenactments, historian Bettany Hughes (When the Moors Ruled in Europe) presents the scheming politicians, beleaguered generals, and fiery revolutionaries who conquered and colonized Britain in the first century CE. Premiered on the UK’s History Channel in July 2010 and has yet to air in the U.S. Buy the DVD right here.

Nightmare On Elm Street

Five teenage friends living on one street all dream of a sinister man with a disfigured face, a frightening voice and a gardener’s glove with knives for fingers in ‘Nightmare On Elm Street.’ But when one among them dies, they soon realize that what happens in their dreams happens for real and the only way to stay alive is to stay awake. Buried in their past is a debt that has just come due. To save themselves, they must plunge into the mind of the most twisted nightmare of all: Freddy Krueger. Jackie Earle Haley plays the legendary evildoer in this contemporary reimagining of the seminal horror classic.
Buy the DVD right here.

Phineas and Ferb and Perry the Platypus are gonna save Christmas in ‘Phineas & Ferb: A Very Perry Christmas.’ Get ready for the wildest sleigh ride everas the hilarious heroes of summer vacation launch into their merriest and “Perry-est” mission yet. Amp up the holidays with outrageous laughs, out-of-this-world fun and totally over-the-top songs. Buy the DVD right here.

Mad Max

The “take no prisoners” cop ‘Mad Max‘ is now available on Blu-ray for the first time. Starring Mel Gibson and directed by George Miller, the movie was hailed by the New York Times as one of the “Best 1000 Movies Ever.” Now viewers can experience the thrilling dystopian action film with an all-new Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack. Special features include filmmaker commentary and the documentary “Mad Max: The Film Phenomenon,” featuring interviews with the original crew and film experts. The new release also features the very popular original Australian audio track in addition to the American dubbed track. Considered one of the best films of 1979, ‘Mad Max’ garnered three Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards for editing, sound and musical score. The film was also nominated by the AFI for Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Buy the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack right here.

Woke Up Dead

A college student wakes up one day with the suspicion that he is in fact dead … or rather undead in the comedy ‘Woke Up Dead,’ starring Jon Heder of ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ fame. Buy the DVD right here.

Superstar genetic engineers Clive (Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) specialize in splicing DNA from different animals to create incredible new hybrids in the hit film ‘Splice.’ Now they want to use human DNA in a hybrid that could revolutionize science and medicine. But when the pharmaceutical company that funds their research forbids it, they secretly take their experiment underground – risking their careers to push the boundaries of science and serve their own curiosity and ambition. The result is Dren, an amazing, strangely beautiful creature of uncommon intelligence and unexpected physical developments. At first, Dren exceeds their wildest dreams. But as she grows and learns at an accelerated rate, her existence threatens to become their worst nightmare. Buy the DVD right here.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.